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Former Morrisons chairman Sir Ken Morrison dies Supermarket boss Sir Ken Morrison dies
(35 minutes later)
Sir Ken Morrison has died aged 85 following a short illness, his family said. Sir Ken Morrison has died aged 85 following a short illness, his family has said.
Mr Morrison helped grow supermarket Morrisons from a small grocery chain into one of the UK's largest retailers. Sir Ken helped grow supermarket Morrisons from a small grocery chain into one of the UK's largest retailers, until he retired in 2008.
He died peacefully at home in North Yorkshire with his family, they said in a statement. He died peacefully at home in North Yorkshire, his family said in a statement.
"Sir Ken was, of course, a unique figure in the history of grocery retailing in the UK," his family added. "Sir Ken was, of course, a unique figure in the history of grocery retailing in the UK," the family said.
Sir Ken was well known for being forthright in his views, once telling shareholders in very strong language that he disliked the former chief executive Dalton Philips' turnaround plan. For more than half a century Sir Ken was "the driving force at the heart of Morrisons as it grew from two market stalls," they said.
"But to us he was a greatly committed and loving family man, as inspirational and central to us in our daily lives as he was in the business. His drive and ambition, quick intelligence and encyclopaedic knowledge were matched with a real curiosity in his fellow man."
"He had a gentle humour and kindness about him and he could, and would, talk with genuine interest to anyone," they added.
'Outstanding achievement'
Supermarket chain Morrisons said: "Sir Ken was an inspirational retailer who led Morrisons for more than half a century... [he] will be greatly missed by many thousands of his current and former colleagues, a large number of whom became close personal friends over the years."
Morrisons added that Sir Ken was "widely considered one of Britain's finest retailers" and that he had "developed the culture, values and clear direction for the business which remain the bedrock of the firm today."
Andrew Higginson, the current chairman of Morrisons, said: "Taking Morrisons from a small Bradford-based family business to a major UK grocery retailing chain is an outstanding achievement in the history of UK business."
Sir Ken was well known for being forthright in his views, once telling shareholders in strong language that he disliked the former chief executive Dalton Philips' turnaround plan.
He said: "The results were described by the chairman and chief executive as 'disappointing'. I personally thought they were disastrous."He said: "The results were described by the chairman and chief executive as 'disappointing'. I personally thought they were disastrous."